The DP World Tour continues its European Swing this week with the KLM Open as the city of Amsterdam celebrates its 750th anniversary.
Migliozzi defends
Guido Migliozzi emerged from a three-man play-off to win his fourth DP World Tour title at the KLM Open 12 months ago after a dramatic afternoon at The International. Birdies at the 16th and 18th saw him sign for an eventful 70 to finish alongside Joe Dean and Marcus Kinhult at 11 under. The trio all made two-putt birdies on the first trip back up the par-five last and while Dean and Kinhult both made par at the second attempt despite the Englishman hitting a poor tee-shot and the Swede finding the water, Migliozzi found the green in two and left himself two feet for a sixth birdie of the week on the closing hole and a dramatic win.
His title defense comes a week before he will tee it up at the U.S. Open after securing his spot at Oakmont Country Club through Final Qualifying at Walton Heath last month.
Rich history
The KLM Open – one of the longest-standing tournaments on the DP World Tour - celebrates its 105th edition this year, having first been staged in 1912. Only The Open Championship, Open de France and the Soudal Open are older in Europe.
Past champions include some of the greats of the game, including Major Championship-winning trio Seve Ballesteros, José Maria Olazábal and Bernhard Langer.
Olazábal’s win in 1989 was matched last year as the longest play-off in DP World Tour history when Julien Guerrier prevailed over nine holes at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters. There have been six home winners of the event, with two-time champion Joost Luiten the most recent of those. This is the third edition to be staged at The International, with this year marking 22 years of KLM’s sponsorship of the event.
Inside the field
No fewer than ten winners so far this season are in action this week. One of those is Laurie Canter, the highest-ranked player in the field as the Englishman makes his first appearance in a DP World Tour event outside the Majors since missing out on his second title of the season in a play-off at the Investec South African Open Championship. Second on the Race to Dubai Rankings, he is joined by a host of star names, including former Open champion and Ryder Cup hero Francesco Molinari.
Among the first-time winners so far this season on show are Kristoffer Reitan, Eugenio Chacarra and Richard Mansell. Former Major winner Jimmy Walker is also in Amsterdam, underlining the international appeal of the tournament.
The state of play in the Swing
The KLM Open marks the start of the second half of both the DP World Tour season and the European Swing, the fourth of five Global Swings on the 2025 Race to Dubai. While he may have just fallen short of carding a 59 and landing his second DP World Tour title in as many weeks last week in Austria, Kristoffer Reitan arrives in the Netherlands as the in-form player and boasting a lead of more than 250 Swing points at the top of the standings.
The winner of the Swing will earn entry into every event in Phase Two of the Race to Dubai - the Back 9 - along with a US$200,000 bonus, while there is also an exemption into the Genesis Scottish Open at play. Events in Italy and Germany are to follow later this month.
edit** Canada's Aaron Cockerill did not qualify or receive a sponsors exemption for the RBC Canadian Open this year being held this week outside of Toronto with 2 time champion Rory McIlroy the headliner.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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